1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for providing drive assist information such as traffic rules and traffic regulations for vehicle driving. More specifically, this invention relates to the apparatus that, when a host vehicle travels over several countries or regions each having the different rules or regulations, provides the assist information specific to the country and/or region depending on a degree of a driving experience of a driver in the country and/or region.
2. Related Art
The traffic rules or regulations are often, at least partly, different for each country and/or region (hereinafter written as “country/region”) depending on the traffic condition such as the traffic volume and a development status of traffic infrastructure (e.g., highways, traffic facilities (e.g., traffic signals), etc.). For example, in the United Kingdom, for the purpose of easing the traffic congestion in London city, vehicles which travels in a particular area are imposed on the congestion charge which must be paid in advance. And, in the roundabout seen in Europe, which is a circular intersection connecting more than three roads via circular space, the running direction of vehicles in the intersection (clockwise or counter clockwise) and/or the passing priority between vehicles running therein and those entering thereto are regulated differently in each country. Further, in Asia and South America, there exist a country that restricts the car traffic through a bridge, a tunnel, etc., to vehicles having an odd or even registration number depending on a day of the week.
When the host vehicle travels through such countries/regions each having different traffic regulations, the driver needs to sufficiently obtain, in advance, information on the traffic rules and regulations for vehicle driving (hereinafter collectively referred to as “regulation information”) specific to each country/region, in order to ensure smooth driving. However, when the driver has little experience of driving in such country/region, the driver may sometimes feel difficulty in recalling those information timely and performing appropriate driving behavior. Therefore, an apparatus for providing the regulation information which are related to the country/region where the host vehicle currently travels (hereinafter referred to as “current country/region”), as the drive assist information, is required.
So far, an information presenting apparatus for a vehicle which provides region-specific information is disclosed (see Patent Document 1). This apparatus provides information about adaptability of in-vehicle equipment against the regional peculiarity on vehicle driving such as noise regulations. And the apparatus also provides a recommended driving route taking into account the adaptability. More specifically, the apparatus searches for routes to a given destination, and obtains information of regional peculiarity of all regions along the searched routes from an information center via wireless communication. Then, the apparatus compares the obtained regional peculiarity (such as noise regulations) with specifications (e.g., noise characteristics) of a host vehicle. If the host vehicle can be adapted to the regional peculiarity of the all regions by e.g., limiting a vehicle speed, the apparatus shows the searched routes in an usual way with a guidance of driving operation necessary for the adaptation. Otherwise, the apparatus shows one or more routes for avoiding the regions having the regional peculiarity to which the host vehicle can not be adapted.
However, for a driver who has much driving experience in the country/region into which the host vehicle is going to enter (hereinafter referred to as “entering country/region”), the guidance on the familiar regulation information about the entering country/region performed repeatedly at each time of crossing a border of country/region may be annoying and may even result in disturbance for appropriate driving behavior.